Williams beats Safarova in 3 sets at French for 20th major

Serena Williams of the U.S. reacts she plays Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic during their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Saturday, June 6, 2015 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Michel Euler

June 06, 2015

PARIS (AP) Overcoming a mid-match lull and a third-set deficit, Serena Williams won her third French Open title and 20th major singles trophy by beating 13th-seeded Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2 on Saturday.

The top-ranked Williams took the last six games and added to her championships on the red clay of Roland Garros in 2002 and 2013.

She stretched her Grand Slam winning streak to 21 matches, following titles at the U.S. Open last September and Australian Open in January.

Only two women in the century-plus history of Grand Slam tennis have won more than the 33-year-old American: Margaret Smith Court with 24 titles, and Steffi Graf with 22.

This one, though, did not come easily for Williams, who double-faulted 11 times.

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